The Burden on XCDN.
Yo the Ealtor of the "Nonmi-China Dany News"
Sin,—There has been a great deal of correspondence in your paper re—eently about more news or less news over XCDN but, os Cannout ALcorr says "getting away. from the news for a moment" what about the rest of the programme?
We have German _programmes, French programmes, Spanish pro= grammes, all sorts of programmes, but trot {00 much for the English listener by way of entertainment. Tam aware that a certain amount of propaganda must be put over, and also that yood radio station' here should cater for more than one clement of Shang-very. international collection of ple, On the other hand, listening (0. radio in this town is like a per~ manent switchback, "If I Usten to most stations, T have to swich from tone to another, as T am continually faced with dissertations that T loathe, on what beer to drink, what tobacco to smoke and so on. f have smoked the same tobacco, drunk the same beer for years; 'T Intend to go doing so and certainly won't change for any voice on the radio, So waen the advertising stu comes on I have to change stations, Fortunately XCDN I not burdened with advertising, but tls burdened with the most, extraordinary languages, utterly beyond my comprehension owing to the fact that Twas educated in one of the best English public schools.
So, let us get to the paris of the programme suitable for the ears of well-educated Englishman, " There isn't much of it, so it won't take tong, T maintain that most days between the hours of 7 and 830 music should be played, suitably chosen to blend with a glass of gin, This is most important, In no elrumstanees should one's ears be affronted, during that period, with any dissertations anything except gin) or with any high brow musie, From the hour of 10 p.m, onwards everything should A quiet and consoling nature. No talks of any Kind should be permitted untos they are bringing good news and calculated to quieten - the nerves. Music should not be jangling dance stuff or Techalkovsky fireworks—it should be gentle, bringing with it the frst desires for slumber, The elossieal programmes, 1 maine tain, are badly placed at present. Any good high brow Is well on his way to sleep at 9,30 pin, on Tuesday, the resent time of transmission, ANd as for keeping up till 11. pan..... Surely. the Tuesday Symphonic" Programme should be moved to 6 pin. Some convenient "night morely outline these few sugges~ tions and no doubt some one of your kind readers will solve the whole problem to the mutual benefit of XCDN and myself. T shall appreciate your courtesy if you will publish the letter so that this can happen, and may then ait in peace and drink my xin to a suitable accompaniment, Gr, Brevens axe Muste, Shanghai, Apr, 9.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.